Raised in a strict Chinese American household in the suburbs, Val Wang flees to Beijing in 1998 expecting to find freedom. Instead, she lives with her traditional relatives, who wake her at dawn with a state-run television program, make a running joke of how much she eats, and monitor her every move. But outside, she soon discovers a city rebelling against its roots just as she is, and a thriving subculture making art out of chaos. Brilliantly observed, Beijing Bastard is a compelling story of a young woman finding her place in the world.